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Canada
The Canada map is, as its name implies, a map covering the Great White North in all its pride and glory. The statement A Mari usque ad Mare means "From Sea to Sea" and is Canada's motto (approved by King George V in May 1921). The map has 42 regions with 6 bonus zones. This provides a good sized map for 2-6 player games. Although the Canada map appears rather square, the Hudson Bay (impassable) and two bottleneck regions in practice split the map into an eastern and a western part. The Canada map is a simple, conservative and classic-style Conquer Club map. It was originally released in March 2006 during the website’s dawn and revamped in October 2007 to make the graphics appeal to the Playstation-generation. The map relies primarily on region count advantage and zone bonuses to provide an edge in each game. Consequently, being a simple, old school map - what works on Classic generally works on the Canada map. Bonus zones As a general note on the Canada map’s bonus zones, one can note the following: *Maritimes: +2 troop bonus, one entry point (i.e. 2 additional troops per tied down defense point). *Prairies: +6 troop bonus, four or five entry points (i.e. 1.5 or 1.2 additional troops per tied down defense point). *Ontario: +5 troop bonus, four entry points (i.e. 1.25 additional troops per tied down defense point). *Quebec: +6 troop bonus, five entry points (i.e. 1.2 additional troops per tied down defense point). *B.C.: +2 troop bonus, two entry points (i.e. 1 additional troops per tied down defense point). *Territories: +4 troop bonus, four entry points (i.e. 1 additional troops per tied down defense point). Especially in no spoils games, the ratio between bonus troops and the number of defense points one has to keep in order to hold a bonus zone is a factor to be taken into account when planning one’s strategy. However, and especially with respect to bonus zones consisting of a large number of regions, other factors - such as the negative impact of conquering neutral regions (or regions held by a team mate) as well as the risk that an opponent is able to secure a region count advantage - must be taken into account. Looking at the ratio between bonus troops and the number of defense points, one can conclude that the Canada map is reasonably balanced bonus wise. The exception here is the Maritimes bonus zone with the high 2 bonus troops/defense point ratio. Normally though, the decision which bonus zone to go for will depend on the drop and initial set-up. If it appears to be easier to secure and hold B.C. rather than Maritimes, this is preferable rather than foolishly going for Maritimes. It is rarely, at least initially, feasible to successfully go for the Ontario, Prairies, Quebec and Territories bonus zones due to their size. Settings There is nothing particularly special to this map concerning assassin, terminator and fog of war games, the general strategy guides on these topics may be helpful. Spoils With the Canada map being a rather simple, straight forward old school map - what works on Classic generally works on this map. There is nothing particularly special to this map concerning no spoils, flat rate and nuclear games. Here, the map-specific points under the “Two Player” and “Team Games” sub-sections may be helpful in addition to the general strategy guides on these topics. With respect to escalating games, the only bonus zones one should attempt to hold in these games are B.C. and/or the Maritimes. As usual, it may be sensible to spread out across the map in order to increase one’s reach (i.e. to have a launching pad for assaults in different areas of the map) once the spoils sets increase in value. Kenora and Iqaluit / Nunavik are the two bottleneck regions dividing the eastern and the western parts of the map. By putting up a troop block on these regions, one may at least be able to make it more difficult for your opponents to reach and eliminate any other player. Also, using those regions as a starting-point, one has the opportunity to strike into either the eastern or the western part of the map. A number of dead end regions exist, namely Windsor (blocked by Toronto), Churchill (blocked by Thompson), Victoria / Vancouver (blocked by P. George) and N.B. (which blocks the three remaining territories in the Maritimes bonus zone). Trapping an opponent by blocking a region may allow a player to control the destiny of that opponent once the spoils sets increase in value (or, for that matter, protect a team mate as the case may be). 1v1 In a 2 player game, each player starts with 14 regions (i.e. leaving 14 neutral regions). Irrespective of the spoils type, an early possession of the B.C. and/or Maritimes bonus zones (each +2 troop bonus) or an early region count advantage (one player holding 17 or more regions with the other player holding 11 or less regions) may be decisive for the outcome of the game. Preventing the opponent from getting a region count advantage and/or holding B.C. and/or Maritimes should be an overarching priority. Naturally, in a flat rate or escalating spoils game the importance of the possession of B.C. and/or Maritimes and/or a region count advantage wears off after a few rounds. However, in a no spoils game, any one of these advantages tends to be the decisive factor in the vast majority of 2 player games. Under the right circumstances (taking into account the initial 14 neutral regions), it may be possible to go for and attempt to hold Territories (with four entry points). Attempting this is usually a gamble, but if successful the +4 troop bonus generally ensures victory. The remaining bonus zones (Prairies, Ontario and Quebec) are rarely, due to their size and likely number of neutral regions, worth an effort in a 2 player game. Team games With respect to the basic set-up: In 4 player doubles games, each player starts with 10 regions, in triples games, each player starts with 7 regions and in quadruples games, each player starts with 5 regions. Considering the map size (42 regions), the best strategy in quadruples games is usually to target and attempt to eliminate one of the players in the opposing team (once done, one simply continues targeting the remaining opponents one by one). With respect to doubles or triples games, and irrespective of the spoils type, an early possession of the B.C. and/or Maritimes bonus zones may be an important edge. Maritimes should preferably be blocked at Quebec - from there the Quebec bonus zone is blocked and one can easily strike into the Ontario bonus zone. Consequently, with a troop block on Quebec, a team controls the eastern part of the map. B.C. should preferably be blocked at Norman Wells and Edmonton (the two entry points makes this bonus zone slightly less advantageous than Maritimes which merely has one entry point). With a Norman Wells / Edmonton troop block in place, the Prairies and Territories bonus zones are also blocked which allows a team to control the western part of the map. Without a good initial troop drop, it is difficult to seize and hold both B.C. and Maritimes. Rather, one may decide to go for either one of them while at the same time trying to ensure that the opposing team is unable to hold the other bonus zone. If having secured either B.C. or Maritimes, a team has two basic strategies to choose from. The first choice would be to target one of the players in the opposing team (and once eliminated, continue targeting the remaining opponents one by one). The second choice would be to push the advantage by expanding out from the held bonus zone. Here, if a team manages to conquer one side of the map (either the eastern or the western part) and putting up troop blocks at Kenora and Iqaluit / Nunavik (i.e. the two bottleneck regions dividing the western and eastern part of the map), victory should be assured.